Conveyer for washing machines



Filed Jly 31, 1925 mv SQ wNl Nov. 15, 1927.

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AooNvmnsR FOR wAsIHING MACHINES LATHROP ET AL Ha-M Nm. E, i927.. w@

H. D. LNH-:Rop ET AL,

`CONVEYER FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed July 3l, 1925 l0 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. as, 1927. 1,649,069

H. D. LATHROP ET AL Y CONVEYER FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed July 31, 1925 lOShee Nov. 15, 1927. 1 649 06 1-1. D. LATHRoP ET AL 9 CONVEYER FOR WASHING' MACHINES Mk1 E1 mffesses.'

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Nov. l5, 1927. I 1,649,069

v H. D. LATHROP ET A1. L

CONVEYER FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed July 3l, 1925 lO SlggrbS-Sheet 6 EN' Ziff/f fyi/702%@ Nmf., im, 92?. 1,649,069 H. D. LATHROF ET AL,

CONVEYER FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed July 5l, 1925 l0 Sheets-Sheet 7 Nov. 15, 1927. 1,649,069

' H. D. LATHROP ET AL CONVEYER FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed July 31. 1925 l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 Nm'. im? we?, l 1,649,069

H. D. LATHROP ET AL.

CONVEYER FOR WASHING MACHINES 31 1925 l0 Sheets-Sheet 9 i -f i Je Ji YMMM jaar #fiar/151,4

H., D. LATHROP ET AL.

CONVEYER FOR WASHING MACHINES l10 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed July 51, 1925 Wim/asses;

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` and arrangements of les 'atented Nov. 15, 1927.

nanny n. rarnnor am) Waarna H. rAULsoN, or emesso, mentors; sain sarasota. assrojiton ro sain narnaor. l

YER FOB WASHINQ MACHINES.

The invention relates to improvements in washing machines especially adapted for the washing of milk bottles and the like and has tor its object the provision of an improved machine of this character which is of simple construction and etlicient in operation. Another object of the invention is to provide such a machine having provision therein for automatically feeding the articles to be washed thereto and discharging said articles therefrom. f

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations parts hereinafter de- -scribed and claimed. l y

'llhe invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specilication, and in which, i

Fig. l is a top plan view of the feed and discharge end of a machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 3 a section taken substantially on the other end of line 3*-3of Fig. 2;

' Fig. 4 an end view of the machine;

Fig. 5 a side view-of one side of the feed and discharge end of the machine;

Fig. 6 a side vie'wof other side of the feed and discharge end of the machine;

, Fig. 7 a horizontal section taken on line '477 of Fig. 5;

Fig'. 8 a vertical section` taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 a vertical section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 an enlarged vertical transverse setion taken through the discharge end of the' machine s Fig. 11 a vertical transverse detail section taken thro igh the feed and discharge'mechanism yoi. the machine; and

Fig. 12 a detail view of a stop mechanism employed in the machine.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises a` suitable supporting frarne 15 having a horizontally travelling endless chain 16 mounted 'to travel Vover horizontal lsprocket, wheels 17 :1 nd 18 secured to the upper ends of Vertica shafts 19 and 20.. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 thcshaft 19 is a stud 'shaft mounted in a block 21 on an adjustable carriage 22 adjustable on the frame 15 through a slot and bolt connection as shown, adjustments v of said carriage being eected by a bolt 23 and whereby the chain 16 may be tightened or loosened as desired. -As best shown in Fig. 10 the shaft 20 is a driving shaft provided at the top with a bearing 24' located just under the spocket 18 and, at'the'bottom with an adjusta e bearing 25 adjustable in the frame of the machinev b` means of adjusting bolts 26 and where y the vertical position of the shaft 20 may be nicely adjusted as desired. `The shaft 20 is driven by bevelled gear 27 lmeshing with a bevelled gear 28 on`a countershaft 29 carrying a gear 30 meshing with a" gear31 on another countershaft 32 best shown'in Figs. 1, 7 and 10. f

rllhe shaft 32 carries a gear 33 meshing with a larger gear 34 on a countershaft 35, best shown in Figs. 1, 4, 7 and 9. The shaft 35 carries, a gear 36 meshing with a gear 37 on shaft'38 carrying a gear 39 meshing with a gear 40 on shaft 41.` Shaft. 41 carries a gear 42 meshing with a gear 43 on shaft 44'. AS

`best shown in Figs. .8 and 9 the shaft 44 carries a. driving pulley 45 connected by abelt 46 wlth a pulley 47 on an electric motor 48 for driving the machine. As best shown in Fig. 9 the gear 34 is a mutilated gear having teeth on substantially onefthird of its periphery and whereby the shaft32 and consequently the sprocket chain16 will be intermittently operated, said sprocket chain travelling through substantially one-third of the revolution of gear 34 and remaining stationary during the other two-thirds of said revolution as will be readily understood. As indicated in Fig... 9 the gear 34 is provided with an enlarged tooth 34 at the commencement of the gear teeth thereon and the gear 33 is provided with an enlarged tooth space n 33v to receive the enlarged tooth 34 and thus facilitate reengagementof the gears 34 and 33 at the commencement of the driving of chain 16.

Guide ltracks 49 in the form of angle irons are arranged on the frame 15 to support the chain16 between the sprockets 17 and 18, and thus. prevent sagging of said chain, as best shown inv Figs. 1 and 8. As best shown in Figs. 1` 2, 8 and 9 the links of chain 16- are provided on their outer sides with out- Wardly extending su porting lugs 50 -fittingvbetween similar ugs 51 on a plurality of bottle holders 52, said bottle holders being pivotally mounted by the bolts 52 on the llU lugs 50 so as to be capable of swinging downwardly andl outwardly with reference to the chain 16. Each of the bottle holders 52 is in the form of anl open downwardly tapering frame open at both top and bottom and provided at the bottom with inwardly extending supporting lugs or fingers 53 adapted to support the mouth of an inverted milk bottle in said holder as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 11. Each of the bottle holders 52 carries on its outer side a roller 54 arranged to travel on an angle iron track surrounding the chain 16 and' consisting of straight side Vportions 55 curved end portions 56 and intermediate depressible portions 57 and 58 arranged on opposite sides of the feed in and discharge end of the machine. IIhe depressible track sections 57 and 58 are provided on their sides with mounting ears` or lugs 59 connected by links 60 with rocker arms 61 on two parallel adjacent horizontal rocker shafts 62 and 62 arranged centrally under the chain 16, as best Vshown in F igs.` 1 and 4. The rocker shafts 62 and 62 carry gears 63 meshing with rack bars 64 on a vertically reciprocating bar 65 as best shown in Fig. 4. As best shown in Fig. 10 the, bar 65 carries a roller 66 running in a cam groove 67 on a cam drum 68 loose on the shaft 20 and carrying at its bottom a bevel gear 69 meshing with a bevel gear 70 on the constantly driven shaft35 and whereby said cam drum 68 will be constantly rotated. The form of the cam groove 67 is suchthat e during each pause in ythe travel of thev chain 16 the rack bars 64will be elevated and depressed to cause depression and elevation of the track portions 57 and 58.

As best shown in Figs. 7, 10 and 12 a shaft -20 carries a stop wheel 71 fixed thereto and provided with four peripheral notches 72 adapted-to receive a stop dog 73 on'a lever `arm 74 arranged to swing in a guide strap 75 on the underside of a reciprocating bent bar 76. The lever 74 carries a roller 77 resting against the inner side of the guide strip- 75 -and the reciprocating bar 76 carries a roller 78 running on a cam plate 79 provided with a cam surface 80, and fixed to the gear 34 to be operated constantly by the shaft 35. The cam 80 is so arranged or timed as tov cause the withdrawal of the dog 73 from notch 72 in the wheel 71 during the intermediate periods of the rotation of shaft 20 and consequent feed of chain 16, but to cause said dogV to engage one of said notches during' each pause in the feed of said chain thereby holdingthe chain accuratelyv in position duringv each` pause. s

As best shown in Figs. 9 and 11 curvedr guides 81 are arranged undereach of the depressible ,track portions 57 and 58-to guide I said depressible track portions .during their., downward and upward; movementsf-as explained above, and the cam groove'67 in ,the

cam 68 on shaft 2O is' so shaped or timed that the depression and elevation of the track sections 57 and 58 will occur simultaneously during the pauses in travel of the chain 16.

As best shown in Figs. 1, 9 and 11 a tiltable rack 82 is mounted on the frame 15 adjacent the corresponding depression track portion57, said rack being formed of sheet metal and provided with six V-shaped depressions 83 and a supporting ledge 84 at the bottom of said depressions and whereby six milk bottles'may be placed on and supported by said rack in substantially upright positions as'indicated in Fig. 11. The rack 82 is pivoted to tilt on the trunnions 85 and `is provided with rocker arms 86 connected by links 87 with rocker arms 88 on theshaft 62 and whereby at each operation of the rocker shaft 62 the rack 82 will be tilted inwardly and downwardly to invert the bottles and discharge said bottles from said rack-'under the influence of ravity. The bars are so arranged and timedg that the outward tilting of the bottle holders 52 resting on the track portion 57 occurs simultaneously with the tilting of the rack 82 so that each depression 83 is thus brought into registration with a corresponding outwardly and downwardly tilted holder 52 and whereby each bottle is discharged by the influence of gravity and the momentum imparted by the tilting of the rack into a corresponding bottle holder. Immediately thereafter thc rack 82 is tilted outwardly into receiving position and the track portion 57 elevated to restore the bottle holders to normal position of travel on the track. In this manner it will be noted that during each pause in the 'travel of the chain 16 six bottles placed by lll-i provided with six V-shaped depressions 90 and a supporting ledge 91 is arranged on the opposite yside ot' the machine adjacent and corresponding tothe track ortion58. The rack 89 is tilt-ably supporte on.trunnions 92 and provided with rocker arms 93 connected by links 94 with rocker arms 95 on the rocker shaft 62. t .The arran ement is such that as the track portion 58 is depressed to swing the corresponding bottle holders 52 downwardly and outwardly, the rack 89 is tilted inwardly into registration with said bottle holders as best shown in Fig. 11 and whereby the bottles in said bottle holders are auto- ,matically discharged by gravity and momen- -tum into the recesses 90 in said rack 89. Im-

mediately thereafter, and as the bottle 'holders are restored to position of travel the llo y said bottles outwardly toiree them com-1;"

pletely from said rack. As best shown inl Figs. 1, 6 and 8 the endless belt conveyer 96 is mounted to travel over 'two sprockets 97 mounted on shafts 98 and 99 on the frame of the machine. The shaft 98 carries asprocketl 100 connected by sprocketchain 101 with a sprocket 102 on a. shaft 103. As, best shown* in Figs. d, 6 and 7 the sprocket 102 carries a bevelled gear 104 meshing with a bevelled gear 105 on a shaft 106 carrying a gear 107 meshing with an idler gear 108 meshing with gear '36 and whereby said endless belt conveyer Will be constantly operated to discharge the bottles from the machine.

By this arrangement it will be noted that the. bottles placed upon the feeding rack will be automatically inverted and placed in the machine, carried through the machine and automatically uprighted and discharged therefrom.

vA suitable hood 109 is arranged over the remaining portion ot the machine including the sprocket 17 and through which the b ottles or other articles thus ted into the machine are carried during the normal operation thereof. Obviously suitable Washing elements may be arranged in said hood for spraying the bottles inside and out and thus cleansing the same; rlhe present invention has no relation to the speciiic `form and arrangement ot washing mechanism employed; any suitable desired arrangement tor this purpose being employed. Such arrangement is illustrated in the co-pe-nding application of `Harry D. Lathrop, one of the applicants herein and filed ll/lay 81., 1921, Serial No. @33.677, and needs no further description here as no claim is made herein to any specific torni of washing mechanism. lt

might also be added that it desired. the bottles or other articles carried by the present machine may be subjected to other treatments than washing, tor instance; they might be tilled or otherwise treated, and we therefore do not illustrate the specific mechanism for treating the bottles during their travel on the machine. the present invention relat` ing solely to the means for carrying the bottles or other articles treated; the means for automatically `feeding the bottles or other articles thereto and'the'means for automati cally discharging the bottles yor other articles therefrom. The treatment to which the bot,- tles or other articles are subjected during their handling bythis machine is optional and may be varied if desired.

` While yWe have illustrated and described the preferiedfform of construction for car'-A rying our invention into effect, this is capable i the precise details of construction set forth,A

but desire to avail ourselves of such varia tions and modifications as come within the 4scope'of theJ appended. claims. 1

Having described 'our invention, what we claim as new and desire to securev by Letters Patent is:

1. Amachine of the class described comprising a travelling conveyer; a plurality of article holders mounted on said conveyer to tilt relatively thereto and. independently thereof; means at one location for automatically tilting said .holders to receive articles; and a tilting rac at said location for auto"- matic'ally depositing articles in said tilted holders, substantially as described.

2. A. machine of the class 'described com-- prising a travelling conveyer; a plurality ot article holders mounted on said conveyer to tilt relatively thereto and independentl thereof; means atone location for automatically tilting said holders to receive articles;

a tilting rack at said location for automati, cally depositing articles in said tilted h0lders; means at another location f ior automatically tilting said holders into discharging positions; and a tilting rack at said other location for automatically receiving said discharged articles, substantially as described.

3. A. machine of the class described comprising a travelling conveyer; article holders pivoted on said conveyer; rollers on said holdersga guide track for said rollers; means for moving a portion of said track to tilt the holders thereon; and means for automatically depositing articles in said holders when tilted, substantially as described.

dii

Mii

l. A machine of the class described com` prising a travelling conveyer; article holders pivoted on said conveyer; rollers on said holders; a guide track :tor said rollers; means for moving a portion of said trackV to tilt the holders thereon; atilting rack for holding articles; and means tor tilting said rack simultaneously with said holders to discharge said articles into said holders; substantially as described.

5. A machine of theclass described comprising a travelling conveyer; article holders pivoted on said conveyer; rollers on said holders; a guide track for said rollers; means for moving a portion of said track to tilt the holders thereon into discharging positions; and means for receiving articles means for moving a portion of said track to tilt the holders thereon into discharging positions; a. tilting rack arranged to receive articles discharged from said holders; and means for tilting said rack to discharge articles therefrom, substantially as described.

7. A machine of the class described comprising a travelling conveyer; article holders pivoted on said conveyer; rollers on said holders; a guide track for said rollers; means for moving two separated portions of said track to tilt the holders thereon.; means for automatically depositing articles in one set of said holders when tilted; and means for automatically receiving and discharging articles delivered from the other set of holders when tilted, substantially as described.

8. A machine of the class described comprising a travelling conveyer; article holders pivoted on'said conveyer; rollers on said holders; guide tracks for .sa-id rollers; means for moving separated portions of said tracks to tilt the holders thereon; a tilting rack adjacent one of said portions of said track for holding articles; means for tilting said rack simultaneously with the adjacent holders to discharge said articles into said holders; a tilting rack for holding-*articles arran ed adjacent said other portion' of said trac to receive articles discharged from the vadjacent holders; and means for tilting said '.two depressible portions on opposite sides offsaid conveyer arran ed to cause downwardfandioutward tilting of said holders 'whendepressed; and m'eans for automaticalli;7 depositing articles in one set of tiltedholders and removing articles discharged from the other'set of tilted holders, substantially as described.

10. A `machine of, he class described coml prising a horizontally driven Iendless belt conveyer; article holders pivoted on the outer side of said convcyer to project outwardly therefrom; rollers on the outer sides of said holders; a guide track' for said roll-` ers, said guide track being provided with Y two depressible portions on opposite sides of said conveyer arranged to cause downward and outward tilting of said holders when depressed: a.tilltingfrack arranged adjacent one depressible portion of said track and-adapted to'receive a plurality of articles in substantially upright positions; meansl for tilting said rack simultaneously with the -rollers surrounding sai tilting of the holders to invert and deposit said articles in said holders; and means for receiving articles discharged by the tilting of the .hodcrs on the opposite depressible track portion, substantially as described.

11. A machine of the class described comprising a horizontally driven endless belt conveyer; article holders pivoted on the outer side of said conveyer to project outwardly therefrom; rollers on the outer sides of said holders; a guide track for said holders; said guide track being provided with two depressible portions vonopposite sides of said conveyer arranged to cause downward and outward tilting of said holders when depressed; a tilting rack arranged adjacent one depressible portion of saidtrack and adapted to receive a plurality of articles in substantially upright positions; means for tilting said rack simultaneously with the tilting of the holders to invert and deposit saidarticles in said holders; a tiltable rack arranged to receive articles discharged from the holders on the opposite depressible track portion; a driven conveyer adjacent said last mentioned tiltable rack; and means for tilting said last mentioned rack to upright said articles and deposit the'Y same on said conveyer7 substantially as described.

l2. Av machine of the class described oomprising two horizontally' rotating sprocket wheels; a'spr'ocket chain mounted on said wheels to travel in a substantially horizontal plane; article holders pivoted on the outer side of said chain to swing downwardly and outwardly, said articleholders being open at the top and bottom; rollers on the outer sides of said holders; a uide track for said chain, said guide track being provided with two depressible sections on opposite sides of said chain; two horizontal rocking shafts arranged under said chain; o erating gears on said shafts; vertically reciprocating rack bars meshing with said gears for simultaneously operating said shafts in opposite directions; means for intermittently operating saidsprocket wheels to'cause intermittent feeding of said chain; means for operating said rack bars to operate said shafts during pauses in the travel of said chain; rocker arms on said shafts; links connecting said rocker arms with said depressible track portions; a tiltable rack arranged adjacent one of said track portions to receive a lurality of articles in substantially uprig t positions and tilt into registration with the adjacent holders to invert and discharge said articles thereinto; rocker arms on said rocker shafts operatively connected with said rack to effect operations thereof; and means for receiving articles discharged from the holders resting on` the opposite depressible 4track portion, substantially as described.

13'. A machine of the class described comlill) lla :ncaaoee prising two horizontally rotating 'sprocket wheels; a sprocket chain mounted on said wheels to travel in a substantially horizontal plane; article holdeis pivoted on the outer side of said chain to swing downwardly and outwardly, said article holders being opened at the top and bottom; rollers on the outer side of said holders; a guide track for said rollers surrounding said chain, said guide track being provided with two depressible sections on opposite sides of said chain; two` horizontal rocking shafts arranged under said chain; operating gears on said shafts; vertically vreciprocating rack bars meshing with said gears for simultaneously operating said shafts in opposite directions; means for intermittently operating said sprocket wheels to cause intermittent feeding of said chain; and means for operating said rack bars to operate said shafts during pauses in the travel of said chain; rocker arms on said shafts; links connecting said rocker arms with said depressible track portions; a tiltable rack arranged adjacent one of said track portions to receive a plurality of articles in substantially vupright positions and tilt into registration with the adjacent holders to invert and discharge said 'articles thereinto; rocker arms on said rocker shafts operatively connected with said rack toV effeet operations thereof; a tiltable rack adjacent said opposite depressible track portion and arranged to receive articles disv charged from holders thereon in substantially prone positions; and rocker arms on one of said rocker shafts operatively con- -nected with said discharging rack to tilt the same to upright said articles and dischargeV them, substantially as described.

14. A.. machine of the class describedv comprising two horizontally rotating sprocket i wheels; a sprocket chain mounted on said wheels to travel in a substantially horizontal plane; article holders pivoted von the outer side of said chain to swing downwardly and outwardly, said article holders being openl at the top and bottom; rollers on the outer sides of said holders; a guide track for said rollers surroundingsaid chain, said guide track being provided with two depressible sections on opposite sides of said chain; two horizontal rocking shafts arranged under said chain; operating gears on said shafts; vertically reciprocating rack bars meshing with said ears for simultaneously operating said shas in opposite directions; means for intermittent-ly operating said sprocket wheels to cause intermittent feeding of said chain; mea-ns for operating said rack bars to operate said shafts during pauses in the travel of'said chain; rocker arms on said shafts; links connectin said rocker arms with said depressible trac portions; a tiltable rack arranged adjacent one of said track portions to receive a plurality of articles in substantially upright positions and tilt into registration with the adjacent holders to invert and discharge said articles thereinto; rocker arms on saidrocker shafts operatively connected with said. rack to effect. operations thereof; a tiltable rack adjacent said opposite depressible track portion and arranged to receive articles Tdischarged from holders thereon in substantially prone positions; rocker arms on one of said rocker shafts operatively connected with said discharging rack to tilt Athe same to upright said articles and discharge them; and. aY travelling conveyer arran 'ed to receive articles discharged from saidg last mentioned rack, substantially as described.

15. A 'feeding r1evice com risin a tiltable rack provided with a plura ity o V-shaped recessesand a supporting ledge'at the bottom ofsaid recesses arranged and adapted to receive and support a plurality ofbottles or the like in, substantially upright positions; and means for tilting said rack to reverse and;discharge said bottles, substantially as described.

16. A feeding device comprisin a tiltable rack provided with a plurality 0% V-shaped recesses and a supporting ledge at .the bottorn of said recesses arranged and adapted to receive and support a plurality of bott-les or the like inv substantially upright positions; a rocker shaft; rocker arms on saidv 

